Taking a side trip from Bangkok we (me, my wife and my daughter) decided to visit Kanchanaburi for a couple of days and after checking out the on-line reviews we choose to stay at the Oriental Kwai Resort. That turned out to be a GREAT CHOICE! From the moment we arrived we had smiles on our faces. From the incredibly friendly hosts (Joe and Evelien) to the beautiful location set right on the River Kwai we knew this place was special. All the food we had from the restaurant was excellent, enjoyed on a beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the River. Breakfast is included in the price, and the price was very reasonable. We wanted to do the Elephant Trekking and other activities and Joe arranged everything for us.

My only regret is that we didn’t have more time to spend there. Our trip was planned for three days and two nights, but unfortunately my daughter and I only got to spend one night. After a fun day of exploring the area, including the must see Erawan Waterfalls, we had an accident on a scooter we had rented for the day. I ended up laying on the side of the road with a broken collarbone and six broken ribs (thank goodness my daughter wasn’t injured). Many friendly Thai people stopped to help us, but none of them spoke English and we were definitely in a nerve-racking situation. We had the brochure from the Resort and borrowed a cell phone to call Joe. He dropped everything and came to help us. He drove us to the hospital and stayed with us until I was fully admitted and in my room. He went well above and beyond anything he needed to do. He unselfishly took several hours of his personal time, disrupting their family dinner to stay with and help me. I don’t know what I would have done if it were not for Joe. Regrettably I was not able to make it back to the Resort as we had already planned to leave the following day and the van that picked up my wife came by the hospital to pick my daughter and me up for the trip back to Bangkok (again, travel arrangement that were made by Joe and Evelien).

Although our time in Kanchanaburi didn’t turn out like we ever imagined, our time spend at the Oriental Kwai Resort was very memorable. If we ever return to Kanchanaburi I would absolutely stay at this wonderful Resort and enjoy the hospitality of its friendly hosts.